QC-03-13-335-EN-C EN Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175 1048 Bruxelles/Brussel BELGIQUE/BELGIË Tel. +32 22816111 www.european-council.europa.eu GENER AL SECRETARIAT THE COUNCIL OF www.consilium.europa.eu e European Council e C o u n c i l Two institutions acting for Europe doi:10.2860/65984 INFORMATION SERIES SEPTEMBER 2013 Notice General Secretariat of the Council This brochure is produced by the General Secretariat of the Council and is intended for information purposes only. The European Council – The Council – Two institutions acting for Europe For information on the European Council and the Council, you can consult the following websites: www.european-council.europa.eu Luxembourg: Publications Offi ce of the European Union www.consilium.europa.eu 2013 — 16 pp. — 14,8 x 21,0 cm or contact the Public Information Department of the General Secretariat of the Council at the following address: ISBN 978-92-824-4114-5 Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175 doi: 10.2860/65984 1048 Bruxelles/Brussel BELGIQUE/BELGIË Tel. +32 22815650 Credits: Fax +32 22814977 Photo Department of the General Secretariat of the Council www.consilium.europa.eu/infopublic © European Union, 2013 HOW TO OBTAIN EU PUBLICATIONS Free publications: • one copy: via EU Bookshop (http://bookshop.europa.eu); More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://europa.eu). • more than one copy or posters/maps: from the European Union’s representations (http://ec.europa.eu/represent_en.htm); Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication. from the delegations in non-EU countries (http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/index_en.htm); by contacting the Europe Direct service (http://europa.eu/europedirect/index_en.htm) or Luxembourg: Publications Offi ce of the European Union, 2013 calling 00 800 6 7 8 9 10 11 (freephone number from anywhere in the EU) (*). (*) The information given is free, as are most calls (though some operators, phone boxes or hotels may charge you). ISBN 978-92-824-4114-5 doi:10.2860/65984 Priced publications: • via EU Bookshop (http://bookshop.europa.eu). © European Union, 2013 Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Priced subscriptions: • via one of the sales agents of the Publications Offi ce of the European Union Printed in Luxembourg (http://publications.europa.eu/others/agents/index_en.htm). PRINTED ON ECOLOGICAL PAPER. Notice General Secretariat of the Council This brochure is produced by the General Secretariat of the Council and is intended for information purposes only. The European Council – The Council – Two institutions acting for Europe For information on the European Council and the Council, you can consult the following websites: www.european-council.europa.eu Luxembourg: Publications Offi ce of the European Union www.consilium.europa.eu 2013 — 16 pp. — 14,8 x 21,0 cm or contact the Public Information Department of the General Secretariat of the Council at the following address: ISBN 978-92-824-4114-5 Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 175 doi: 10.2860/65984 1048 Bruxelles/Brussel BELGIQUE/BELGIË Tel. +32 22815650 Credits: Fax +32 22814977 Photo Department of the General Secretariat of the Council www.consilium.europa.eu/infopublic © European Union, 2013 HOW TO OBTAIN EU PUBLICATIONS Free publications: • one copy: via EU Bookshop (http://bookshop.europa.eu); More information on the European Union is available on the Internet (http://europa.eu). • more than one copy or posters/maps: from the European Union’s representations (http://ec.europa.eu/represent_en.htm); Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication. from the delegations in non-EU countries (http://eeas.europa.eu/delegations/index_en.htm); by contacting the Europe Direct service (http://europa.eu/europedirect/index_en.htm) or Luxembourg: Publications Offi ce of the European Union, 2013 Thecalling 00 800 6European 7 8 9 10 11 (freephone number fromCouncil anywhere in the EU) (*). (*) The information given is free, as are most calls (though some operators, phone boxes or hotels may charge you). ISBN 978-92-824-4114-5 The Council doi:10.2860/65984 Priced publications: • via EU Bookshop (http://bookshop.europa.eu). © European Union, 2013 Two institutions acting for Europe Reproduction is authorised provided the source is acknowledged. Priced subscriptions: • via one of the sales agents of the Publications Offi ce of the European Union Printed in Luxembourg (http://publications.europa.eu/others/agents/index_en.htm). PRINTED ON ECOLOGICAL PAPER. The European Council – EU’s strategy body A European Council meeting at the headquarters in Brussels Herman Van Rompuy at the Council press centre on 19 November 2009, on his election as President of the European Council 2 The European Council is the driving force behind the European Union (EU). It meets at least twice every 6 months, bringing together Europe’s top political leaders, i.e. the Heads of State or Government of the Member States, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission. The High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy also takes part in the European Council’s discussions. When required by the agenda, the Heads of State or Government may decide to draw on the assistance of a minister, depending on the subject matter being dealt with. Meetings of the European Council are usually preceded by a meeting with the President of the European Parliament. The European Council defines the general political direction and priorities of the European Union. It identifies major issues to be dealt with by the European legislative bodies, i.e. the Council of ministers and the European Parliament. Meetings of the European Council are therefore central to the life of the EU. That is why these ‘summits’ are followed by so many journalists. On 1 December 2009, when the Treaty of Lisbon entered into force, the European Council became a fully-fledged institution in its own right. It has a president, elected for a term of two and a half years, renewable once. Herman Van Rompuy, former Prime Minister of Belgium, is the first to occupy the post. Previously the European Council was chaired by the president or prime minister of the Member State holding the six-monthly Council presidency. On 1 March 2012 Herman Van Rompuy was appointed for a second term starting on 1 June 2012 and ending on 30 November 2014. 3 The Belgian former Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy was the first one to be appointed President of the European Council according to the Treaty of Lisbon The President prepares, chairs and leads the meetings of the European Council, and seeks general agreement among its members. He makes sure that the decisions are subsequently put into practice. Together with the President of the European Commission, he acts as the EU’s representative, at his level, in relations with third countries. The High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy also represents the EU to the outside world. 4 The Council – essential EU decision-maker Acts which are directly relevant to the lives of EU citizens and have a considerable international impact are adopted by the Council, usually in conjunction with the European Parliament. The Council is the EU institution where the Member States’ government representatives sit, i.e. the ministers of each Member State with responsibility for a given area. The composition and frequency of Council meetings varies depending on the issues dealt with. Foreign ministers, for example, meet roughly once a month in the Foreign Affairs Council. There are ten Council configurations, covering the whole range of EU policies. The General Affairs Council, which is usually attended by foreign ministers or European Affairs ministers, makes sure that the various Council configurations are working consistently with one another and makes the preparations for European Council meetings. According to the Treaty of Lisbon the Council’s headquarters is in Brussels, but in April, June and October its meetings are held in Luxembourg. 5 The agriculture ministers of the Member States at a meeting of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council at the Council’s meeting venue in Brussels 6 The ten Council configurations • General Affairs • Competitiveness (Internal Market, Industry, Research and Space) • Foreign Affairs • Transport, Telecommunications • Economic and Financial and Energy Affairs • Agriculture and Fisheries • Justice and Home Affairs • Environment • Employment, Social Policy, Health and Consumer • Education, Youth, Culture and Protection Sport The Council’s remit • It adopts legislative acts (regulations, directives, etc.), in many cases in ‘co-decision’ with the European Parliament. • It coordinates Member States’ policies, for example, in the economic field. • It develops the common foreign and security policy, on the basis of strategic guidelines set by the European Council. • It concludes international agreements on behalf of the Union. • It adopts the Union’s budget, together with the European Parliament. 7 The Council as a lawmaker The EU’s laws are made by the Council, together with the European Parliament. In most cases the Council can only legislate on the basis of proposals submitted to it by the European Commission. It can ask the Commission to submit any proposals it may deem appropriate. Since entry into force of the Treaty of Lisbon, a million citizens may also sign a petition inviting the Commission to submit a proposal. This is the citizens’ right of initiative. The Council sits in public when it is discussing and voting on a proposal for a legislative act or when there is a general debate. You can follow these discussions in real time on the Council’s web site (www.consilium.europa.eu) and see, for example, how your minister is putting your country’s point of view. The written documentation available to the ministers is also accessible to everyone.